Grassley says Vietnam trade would be beneficial

The Bush Administration is moving toward making Vietnam a full trading partner, an effort Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says he supports. While the move is being criticized by some fellow Republicans, Grassley says re-establishing a full-fledged relationship with that former Asian enemy will bring long-term successes here at home, including for Iowa farmers.

Grassley says “When you extend normal trade relations, it’s really not giving to Vietnam anything that probably 150 other countries don’t have with the United States. There’s just a very few countries (which) don’t have what we call normal trading relations.” Grassley disagrees with opponents of the move who claim normalizing relations with Vietnam will cost job opportunities in the U.S., particularly in the clothing and textiles industries.

Grassley says “With this agreement, I think we’re going to find dramatic opportunities for creating jobs in America because of enhanced trade with Vietnam and it’s going to be very beneficial to export of agricultural products as well.” Grassley says normalizing trade relations with Vietnam would lower tariffs on pork and dairy exports and other products, while also enabling the Vietnamese to patronize other U.S. services, from insurance to telecommunications.